Nutley board announces 6th-grade move to middle school; parents and state monitor press for details

The Nutley Board of Education’s superintendent announced the district will lease a town‑owned building at 777 Bloomfield Avenue to house 10 preschool classrooms and the district office and said the district plans to move 6th graders to John H. Walker Middle School beginning in September 2026.

The plan, described in the superintendent’s report, includes opening an expanded state‑funded preschool program at the Bloomfield Avenue site in fall 2025 and forming a transition stakeholder committee; the superintendent said the committee’s inaugural meeting is scheduled for Feb. 19. Parents and advocates at the board’s public‑comment session called for more detail on physical space, special‑education support, staffing and the financial impact on the district and families.

Why it matters: the change will affect the current 4th‑grade cohort and will shift the district’s grade configuration. Parents at the meeting said the timetable, build‑out needs and staffing plans must be clarified before the move is finalized.

Superintendent Bania said the Board of Commissioners approved the acquisition of the Bloomfield Avenue building and that the district will lease space for preschool classrooms and administrative offices. He told the board the shift to a 6–8 middle school is intended to better meet the academic and social needs of 6th graders and to expand electives and extracurricular opportunities.

Several parents urged the board to slow the timetable and provide specifics. Kimberly Van Wert, a Radcliffe School parent, said, “While some may feel 18 months is plenty of time to prepare, the reality for our children and us as parents is it feels rushed.” Van Wert described classroom disruptions her child experienced and asked whether the district had up‑to‑date, Nutley‑specific data supporting the change.

Jim Novotny, who identified himself as a parent of a student in a self‑contained ABA program, asked how therapists, therapy rooms and individualized supports would be provided at the middle school and whether those staff would move with students. He said parents want to participate in planning and stressed the importance of ensuring the incoming 6th graders—many of whom the speakers described as having missed in‑person early schooling during the pandemic—receive consistent supports.

Mark Jacobson, another parent, and others urged the board to postpone the move until the district can demonstrate the build‑outs, staffing hires and training will be completed and funded. "These two classes are going to be affected and have already experienced more adversity," Jacobson said, adding that parents want certainty about graduation plans and end‑of‑elementary activities.

On finances and oversight, multiple speakers raised questions about prior overspending and calls for a forensic audit. Carmine Alessio asked for an update on an investigation he said had been ongoing for 11 months. District staff responded that the presentation and materials explaining increased expenditures—primarily rising health‑care, transportation and special‑education costs—are available online.

A staff member who addressed the financial question explained the district’s situation with an analogy: the district had insufficient funds for some obligations and therefore sought state assistance to cover deficits, saying, "There is there is no missing money. ... It's not missing. It's just that the district spent more than it had." State monitor Miss Makers told the board she has requested that the state consider a forensic audit covering the 2022–23 and 2023–24 school years and is following up with state authorities about next steps.

Board members and administrators invited concerned parents to participate in the Feb. 19 transition planning process and to submit questions to the superintendent as the district develops the detailed plan, timelines and FAQs. The superintendent said a district FAQ has been posted and that paper copies were available at the meeting.

Next steps noted at the meeting included stakeholder committee meetings beginning Feb. 19 and further planning sessions to outline space changes, staffing needs and supports for students with disabilities. The board did not adopt any final policy at this meeting; it scheduled planning and committee work to flesh out specifics.